1. Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates to an outdoor heat exchanger and an air conditioner including the same, and more particularly, to an outdoor heat exchanger in which the passage of a refrigerant is alternated.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
In general, air conditioners are apparatuses that cool or heat an indoor, using a cooling cycle including a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and an indoor heat exchanger. That is, the air conditioners can be composed of a cooler that cools an interior and a heater that heats the interior. Further, the air conditioners may be implemented by a compatible air conditioner for cooling and heating which cools or heats an interior.
When the air conditioner is a compatible air conditioner for cooling and heating, it includes a 4-way valve that switches passage for a refrigerant compressed by a compressor, depending on cooling and heating. That is, a refrigerant compressed by a compressor flows into an outdoor heat exchanger through the 4-way valve and the outdoor heat exchanger functions as a condenser, in cooling operation. Further, the refrigerant compressed by the outdoor heat exchanger flows into an indoor heat exchanger after expanding through an expansion valve. In this operation, the indoor heat exchanger functions as an evaporator and the refrigerant evaporated by the indoor heat exchanger flows into the compressor again through the 4-way valve.
On the other hand, a refrigerant compressed by a compressor flows into the indoor heat exchanger through the 4-way valve and the indoor heat exchanger functions as a condenser, in heating operation. Further, the refrigerant compressed by the indoor heat exchanger flows into the outdoor heat exchanger after expanding through the expansion valve. In this operation, the outdoor heat exchanger functions as an evaporator and the refrigerant evaporated by the outdoor heat exchanger flows into the compressor again through the 4-way valve.